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Liberty Lady

Liberty Lady

It continues to amaze me that I enjoy having my picture taken. I keep ASKING to have my picture taken. I WANT to document that I’ve done something and been somewhere and done something. I even like to look in the mirror. That’s freedom – freedom to enjoy and celebrate my life. There are so many of them, so many benefits, that I felt that today was a good day for a gratitude post. So here goes, my list of another 37 new-found freedoms to add to my first list of 100 (originally posted beforeandafterhelp.com) to celebrate that I am 137 pounds down from my highest weight ever.

Today I am free because I:

Like to have my picture taken

Can run a mile in 7 minutes 30 seconds (on the elliptical )

Can sit in a chair with arms

Can bike 20+ miles and enjoy it

Fit comfortably in an airline seat

Don’t need a lap-belt extender

Am training for a triathlon (June 27th) and believe I can finish it

Can shop in a regular clothes store

Am too small for any of the clothes at Lane Bryant or women’s section at department stores

Don’t feel ashamed of myself

Still have room when someone sits next to me on a bus or train

Have started writing again

Have dropped from a 48D to a 36C bra

Have dropped from a size 28W to a 14R (and they are getting loose!)

Don’t have backaches (see item above!)

Don’t fall down anymore

Like to exercise

Am helping my family be more healthy

Have learned to swim

Can swim over 1/2 a mile (my goal is to swim a mile)

Have stopped using food as a way to medicate myself from life

Am in therapy and feel mentally stronger, more balanced

Have an amazing network of family and friends

Am reaching out to people rather than holding back

Have inspired more than one person to start getting stronger

Know endless ways to make steel-cut oatmeal taste great

Can put together a WLS friendly meal in less than 20 minutes with what’s in my pantry, fridge or freezer

Am (more) organized about exercise and nutrition (and continuing to work on it)

Have asked for permission to start a weight loss support group at work

Go to Weight Watchers every week to weigh in

Don’t freak out if my weight fluctuates a bit from day-to-day (goal is to weigh weekly – still working on that)

I have a lap for my son to sit in

Love seeing the dropped jaws when I haven’t seen someone for a while

Had to buy all new shoes

Had to have all my jewelry resized

Can fit a weeks worth of clothes in one load of wash

Can fit more outfit choices in my suitcase when I travel

100 things for to celebrate since July 17, 2009 (posted on Nov 12, 2009)
1. Started doing Wii Fit balance games
2. Began doing Wii Fit yoga
3. Began doing Wii Fit aerobics
4. Began doing Wii Fit strength training
5. Doing 30 minutes on the Wii fit every day
6. Doing 45 minutes on the Wii Fit everyday
7. Doing 60 minutes every day on the Wii FIT!
8. Had a very successful gastric bypass
9. Began walking the day of the surgery
10. Two days after surgery, I was lapping the nurses station every 2 hours
11. 5 days after the surgery I was using my treadmill
12. Was walking the day after the hernia surgery
13. Back to treadmill 3 days after the hernia surgery
14. Doing treadmill 15 minutes at 1 mile an hour
15. Doing treadmill 15 minutes at 2 miles an hour
16. Doing treadmill 15 minutes at 3 miles an hour
17. Doing treadmill 30 minutes at 3 miles an hour
18. Doing treadmill 45 minutes at 3.5 miles an hour
19. Doing treadmill 45 minutes – got up to 4mph for part of the time
20. Doing treadmill 45 minutes – cranking up to 6% incline
21. Hiked up Stone Mountain (to rail section) 1. Mile up, 1 mile down – 60 minutes
22. Hiked up Stone Mountain to pavilion and back 45 minutes
23. Wearing size 3x tops; 28 pants
24. Down to size 2x tops; 26 pants
25. Down to size 2x tops; 24 pants
26. Down to size 1x tops; 24 pants
27. Down to size 1x tops; 22 pants
28. Down to size large tops (18); size 22 pants
29. Down to size 16 tops; size 20 pants
30. Down to size 16 tops; wearing some size 18 pants
31. Wearing size 11 panties
32. Wearing size 8 panties
33. Wearing 48D bras
34. Wearing 46D bras
35. Wearing 44D bras
36. Wearing 42D bras
37. Started kickboxing classes – made it thru 50% of the class
38. Kickboxing classes – 3 times a week
39. Kickboxing classes – making it through 75% of the class
40. Kickboxing classes – making it through 90% of the class
41. Can do one sit-up
42. Can do 6 sit-ups
43. Can do 10 situps
44. Can do 20 situps
45. Doing 60 crunches and 20 sit-ups
46. Can do wall pushups x 10
47. Can do 1 pushup/plank on the floor
48. Can do 5 pushup/planks on floor
49. Can do 10 pushups/planks on floor
50. Fit into my wedding dress – it is too big!
51. Gave away all my size 3x clothes
52. Gave away all my size 2x clothes
53. Started weight loss class at Laureate Way
54. Attending Weight Watchers meetings at work
55. Started psychological counseling for weight loss before surgery
56. Going to psych once a week
57. Going to psych every other week
58. Can touch the floor with my fingertips
59. Can touch the floor with my hands
60. Can put my hands flat on the floor with knees straight
61. Can bend over and tie my shoes
62. My rings are too loose – had to tape them
63. My shoes are too loose – from size 10w+ to 8 ½ wide
64. Taking walks at work – around the Ravinia Gardens
65. Taking 2 walks a day at work – around the gardens
66. Taking the stairs at work – parking on the 3rd floor and not taking the elevator!
67. Getting my multivitamin, calcium and iron supplements
68. Having a protein shake for breakfast
69. Fit into the scream machine at six flags
70. Rode the mind bender at six flags (3 times)
71. Taking walks with Jacob after work (until day light savings – too dark)
72. I see muscles in my upper arms and shoulders
73. I can feel muscles in my butt
74. My legs are smaller
75. I lost 9 inches off my stomach – from 58 inches to 49 inches
76. My morning blood sugar is under 200 without meds
77. My morning blood sugar is hovering around 110 without meds
78. My morning blood sugar is 98! Without meds
79. I discovered that I’m a petite in jackets/shirts
80. I’m getting my daily protein
81. I lost 30 pounds before the surgery
82. I lost 40 pounds after the surgery
83. I am down 70 pounds
84. I am obesity category III – morbidly obese
85. I am obesity category II – extremely obese
86. I am obesity category I – obese
87. – I rode bikes with my husband and son for the very first time – almost 5 miles around Stone Mountain
88. – I wore a red, fitted top and got compliments on how great I looked
89. – I’ve exercised 90 out of the last 116 days
90. – I was late to a job interview because my suit pants fell off me and I had to wash another pair! (I got the job, though!!!)
91. – The belt I bought for my “goal” outfit that didn’t even meet, now notches on the first loop. I thought it would be MONTHS.
92. – The clothes at the Talbot’s women’s store were all too big except for some petite size x camis
93. I bought a gorgeous JJill sweater in a large. Not at a specialty store. Not an xlarge, 2x, 3x or 4x. A large.
94. – I sat in a chair in our dining room with arms that I’ve never been able to fit in!
95. – My son and I are taking walks together after I get home from work and I’m not avoiding the hilly routes
96. – I went to a makeover and have started doing my hair and makeup everyday. I feel like a real girl, maybe for the first time ever.
97. I can go out to eat and eat less than ½ my food (even after ordering from the child or senior menu)
98. I can lie on my back without choking
99. My sex drive is starting to flicker back into life.
100. I am sleeping well almost every night – no morning headaches from the sleep apnea

Karen aka the Project Manager

50-something mom, wanna be writer and adventurer trying to figure out my 40+ year battle with food and eating. I’ve done every diet and even had gastric bypass – still gained it back. In 2016 I joined Overeaters Anonymous and for the first time in my life, I am peaceful about food. In November 2017 I learned about Bright Line Eating and am having success with weight loss once again.